The Causes and Treatments for Hair Loss in Women

On a regular basis, a person loses about 100 strands of hair. When you wash your hair, it can reach up to 250 strands of lost hair. If a woman loses more than the average number of lost hair strands every day, you need to pay attention to it and address the hair loss in women.

Women generally lose hair differently than men do. Women do not experience bald patches of hair such as in men. Baldness in women is spread out evenly across the head. The first thing to know is to determine the cause of the problem and find the right solution.

What Is Androgenetic Alopecia

A pattern hair loss is called androgenetic alopecia, which is considered as an immune system condition. Two main enzymes are the contributing factors to this hair and scalp problem; the 5α-reductase and aromatase. The severity of hair loss in women is different for each person. For some women, it is seen as small bald patches on the scalp.

For the most part, bald patches are noticed on the crown and the sides of the scalp. However, there are cases that the baldness is also manifested in other areas of the body. Eyebrows, eyelashes, and other body hair may be affected. In many cases, the symptoms of alopecia are gone even without using any kind of medical treatment.

Both men and women have bodily hormones but are different from each other. While a male hormone is a major factor that leads to androgenetic alopecia, this is not the case in women when there is an increased level of the hormone. The real reason for hair thinning in women is more than just the hormone issues.

Common Causes

Having a healthy hair is synonymous to having a good physical condition. It is one of the reasons why you should take hair problems seriously. In many instances, females do not go to a trichologist or dermatologist to identify the cause of the baldness. Also, hair loss in women may just be self-inflicted.

Genetic predisposition – This is a genetic characteristic that plays a huge role in hair thinning. Some unfortunate women inherit the genes of their ancestors that are particularly responsible for the baldness of the hair. You can research your family history to give you an idea about your present condition. Simply look at your family now. If one of your family members have patchy hair thinning or baldness, there is a possibility that it can also happen to you.

Autoimmune disease – Systemic lupus erythematosus is one type of an autoimmune disorder. It attacks the healthy cells in the body, which results in inflammation of the body organs. The common symptoms of this disorder are eruptions on the neck, face, and hands, fever, and hair loss.

Stressful events – Stress and trauma are considered to be the leading causes of many different ailments in the body. Hair loss in women is one of them. Your body gives off certain chemicals every time that you are in a stressful or traumatic situation. When this happens, you are disrupting the regular functioning of your body. Some examples of these stressful events are major surgery, infection, or childbirth. Hair loss can be experienced under these circumstances.

Chemotherapy – If the process of metabolism in hair follicle is impaired, hair loss can occur. This condition is also referred to as anagen effluvium. Chemotherapy is a major factor of these impairments, as it tends to separate cancerous cells fast. Some other rapid dividing body tissues that are functioning normally are also affected such as the hair follicles.

Menopause – For women who are in their menopausal stage, it is common to experience hair thinning. The condition can worsen in hair loss. It is also a symptom of a lower level of estrogen. Aside from this, the hair loss in women is the cause of high level of stress as well as aging. But in the case of aging, the follicles of the hair are unable to replace the hair anymore.

Dihydrotestosterone – A type II 5alpha-reductase is an enzyme that transforms testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The increased levels of dihydrotestosterone become connected to the hair strands, which cause them to decrease. The hair cannot survive in this condition, and the result you get is hair loss. However, the lower DHT levels can lead to the loss of hair too. The medical term for this hair condition is androgenetic alopecia.

Drugs and medications – There are a variety of drugs that may result in hair loss in women. Here is a list that may potentially be the culprit in baldness:

Thyroid medication

Diuretics

Anticoagulants, for example, warfarin and heparin

Medication for seizure-like Dilantin

Lithium, Prozac, and other mood-altering medications

High doses of vitamins

Inderal and other drugs for managing blood pressure

Oral contraceptives or birth control pills, especially those with high amounts of progesterone

Prednisone and other anti-inflammatory drugs

Diet Pills

Medications that minimize the levels of lipid

Cocaine

Dietary deficiencies – A poorly balanced diet cannot provide the body the nutrients it needs. This can result in deficiencies and hair loss in women. Hair is made of keratin, which is an essential protein of the hair. When there is a nutrient deficiency, loss of hair is experienced. In addition, a lack of vitamin A nutrient is considered to be one of the main reasons of hair thinning.

Treatment for Female Hair Loss

The remedy for hair loss in women should be determined based on the factor that is causing the loss of hair. For example, if stress and trauma are the main reasons for female hair loss, the individual may learn to manage and normalize the situation. On the other hand, if the underlying cause is a deficiency in nutrients, eating a healthy diet in the right amount can eventually help in the hair growing back.

Certain medication and creams for the scalp can help treat the infections, with the consent of a medical expert. Hair massages can also help increase the blood circulation, which results in hair growth. Some people also consider hair transplant and hair weave as ideal solutions for hair loss in women.

Home Treatment

People tend to prefer using a treatment that will not give them any side effects or make the condition worse. When looking for an effective treatment for hair loss, you might want to try the natural home treatment first, and, as much as possible, you want to avoid using chemicals in order to address your hair thinning problems. The following is a list of effective remedies to prevent alopecia:

Hot oil massages on your scalp on a regular basis together with eating nutritious foods.

Aloe syrup can help treat hair thinning. Drink four spoons two times a day, preferably one in the morning and one at night. Indian gooseberry syrup is another option for this.

Eggs and yogurt are natural products that can be used as hair conditioner.

Choose natural herbal products as your shampoo.

Brush your hair properly and do not tie your hair quite tightly.

Medical Treatment

If you are suffering from a painful and itchy scalp, baldness of the eyebrows, red scalp, unusual hair loss pattern, and sudden case of hair fall, it is time to seek medical treatment. The following list includes the medical treatments for hair loss in women that doctors may prescribe to the patient:

Hair transplant that is quite costly but just as effective

Pills for the treatment of hormonal imbalance

Topical administration such as minoxidil

Laser hair treatment to address hair damage and thinning

Dietary supplements to treat deficiencies

Calcium

The right amount of calcium in your diet is not only beneficial to the teeth and bones. In fact, adequate amounts of calcium can also help the hair follicles to grow healthier and stronger. Make sure that your diet has plenty of calcium in it.

Hair Transplants

As mentioned briefly above, a hair transplant can be the most suitable solution for hair loss in women. This is when all other methods are unsuccessful in treating alopecia. Keep in mind that hair transplants are expensive surgical procedures. These may also result in infection and scarring as side effects. When undergoing a hair transplant, tiny plugs that have hair on them are implanted on the bald area of the scalp. The patient is required to attend several sessions to complete the hair transplant.

Conclusion

Hair loss in women is something that usually comes as a surprise. Fortunately, there are a lot of ways to help rejuvenate the inactive hair follicles. There are natural and medical methods that can effectively treat female alopecia.

Moreover, if you are experiencing hair loss, it is your responsibility to care for your hair properly. Eat healthily, get the right amount of sleep, hydrate yourself, and maintain personal hygiene.

In addition to that, hair loss in women should be well looked into. You should know what the underlying causes of your hair thinning are. Leaving it untreated or using the wrong treatment could potentially result in more problems.

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I had been on oral birth control pills for 16 years and then stopped them as I developed a spot on my liver. During the 16 years that I was on them, I did notice that my hair was gradually thinning over the years. I am so happy that I stopped the pills as they were not good for me at all! I do not seem to loose as much hair now as I did when I was taking them.